The invention is concerned with predicting and displaying ones appearance in the future as a result of dietary and exercise programs, as a way to both chose a particular program and provide motivation for executing the program. It further comprehends motivation by showing what one would look like in particular clothes one might choose. There is no known reference predating our invention disclosing such methods or apparatus.
The invention in a related manner, also applies to the selection, purchase, and manufacture of clothes. Today, people buy “ready to wear” clothes by going into a store trying on a few examples, and hopefully, buying one—assuming their size is in stock, or the designs in stock are pleasing to them at a price they can afford. Of late, there has been identified a possibility of mass scale customization of clothes, using two (at least) technological breakthroughs—the fast programmable cutting of material in lot of one, and the ability of 3D measurement devices to scan a persons body at a large number of data points in order to give a custom data input to the computerized clothes design—in theory resulting in a perfect fit every time, and vastly reducing logistical complexity and cost related to stocking of multiple sizes and styles. (Consumer Reports, January 2000 issue, page 15, referenced above. See also as one example, the Proceedings of the 80th World Conference of the Textile Institute, April 2000 Manchester, U.K.). There is also a considerable body of patent art on various aspects of computerized clothing design, manufacture, and marketing, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,261,012 Maloomian; 4,546,434 Gioello; 4,916,634 Collins et al.; 5,163,006 Deziel; 5,163,007 Slilaty; 5,495,568 Beavin; 5,551,021 Harada et al.; 5,680,314 Patterson et al.
The basis of most 3D measurement devices is optical triangulation, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,970 or 5,670,787. Versions using scanning laser beams, and projected grids are most prevalent for the human body digitizing application which requires significant speed if done in real time, due to the problem of human movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,012 Maloomian, “System and method for composite display” seems to have been the first to associate an image of a customers head, with a stored figure image of a model. Subsequent inventors, such as Andrea Rose in U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,769, have refined the model, and worked out methods for interfacing with the manufacturing systems, and the way of doing business that surrounds the ability to provide clothing fit related fashion data to a consumer.
Recently some companies, such as Lands End, have introduced simplified data input means such that over the internet, one can look at a 2D image of what clothes you chose could look like on you. Lands End's effort is based apparently based at least in part on U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,769, the closest known reference to the fashion related aspects of the invention herein. In the Rose patent, the customer initially inputs information including body measurements and a digital photograph of the customer's face. Typical body measurements for women include; center front, arm length, bust, waist, hip, and height. Center front 2 is measured from the hollow of the neck of the customer to the navel. Body type/stature is also a desirable input to the Rose system.